The forest had never felt so cold.
Aria wrapped her arms around herself as she wandered deeper into the unfamiliar woods.
The moonlight barely reached the ground through the thick branches above, and every rustle of leaves made her heart race.
She had no food.
No shelter.
No idea where she was going.
“I just need to make it until sunrise,” she whispered.
A sharp crack echoed behind her.
She spun around.
“Who’s there?” Silence.
Her pulse pounded in her ears.
Another crack.
This time it came from her left.
A low growl rumbled through the darkness.
Her breath caught.
Red eyes.
Dozens of them.
They slowly emerged from the shadows, surrounding her from every direction.
Rogue wolves.
Their matted fur was stained with dirt and old blood.
Foam dripped from their jaws as they circled her, growling hungrily.
One of them stepped forward, larger than the others, a scar running across its muzzle.
“Well…” a rough voice said as the wolf shifted into a man.
“Look what wandered into our forest.” The other rogues laughed.
“A lone she-wolf.” “She’ll fetch a good price.” “Or we can have our fun first.” Aria’s stomach twisted with fear.
She backed away until her shoulders struck the trunk of an ancient oak.
There was nowhere left to run.
The scarred rogue smiled.
“Come quietly, and maybe we’ll let you live.” Aria’s fingers tightened around the silver pendant at her neck.
“No.” He laughed.
“You think you can fight us?” “I said…” Her voice shook, but her eyes didn’t.
“No.” The rogue lunged.
Aria squeezed her eyes shut.
A deafening roar exploded through the forest.
The ground trembled beneath her feet.
The rogues froze.
One by one, their arrogant smiles disappeared.
“What…
what was that?” one whispered.
Another howl answered—deep, commanding, ancient.
The rogue leader’s face turned pale.
“No…” “It can’t be.” Heavy footsteps approached through the mist.
Not rushed.
Not uncertain.
Whoever was coming knew they had nothing to fear.
The rogues began backing away.
“Retreat!” one shouted.
“We can’t fight him!” Branches snapped.
A towering black wolf stepped into the moonlight.
He was unlike any wolf Aria had ever seen.
Twice the size of an ordinary Alpha.
Golden eyes glowed like fire.
His midnight-black fur shimmered beneath the full moon.
Power rolled from him in silent waves.
Every rogue dropped to the ground, trembling.
Aria couldn’t move.
She couldn’t even breathe.
The enormous wolf turned his gaze toward her.
Instead of fear…
She felt warmth.
Recognition.
As if those golden eyes had searched for her for a lifetime.
The wolf took one slow step closer.
Then another.
Aria instinctively reached for the glowing pendant around her neck.
The silver light burst to life.
The great wolf stopped.
His eyes widened.
For the first time in centuries…
The Lycan King looked shocked.
“My Queen…” he whispered.